| USAG HOME | NEWS | EVENTS | 47 women qualify for 2007 Visa Championships For immediate release August 2, 2007 INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Aug. 2, 2007 – Defending U.S. all-around champion Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas, is one of 47 women qualified to compete at the 2007 Visa Championships, Aug. 15-18, at HP Pavilion at San Jose (Calif.). In addition to national titles, berths on the 2007 U.S. World Championships Team and the 2007 Women’s National Team are at stake.   Other top gymnasts in the field include:  Jana Bieger of Coconut Creek, Fla., the 2006 world all-around silver medalist; Ivana Hong of Blue Springs, Mo., the 2007 Pan Am Games all-around bronze medalist; Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa, the 2007 Pan Am Games all-around champion; Natasha Kelley of Katy, Texas, 2006 world team silver medalist; Chellsie Memmel of West Allis, Wis., the 2005 all-around world champion; Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind., 2007 Pan Am Games team gold medalist; Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass., the 2005 floor exercise world champion; and Amber Trani of Richlandtown, Pa., the 2007 Pan Am Games vault silver medalist. 2007 Pan Am Games team gold-medalist Rebecca Bross of Plano, Texas, is competing in the junior division.   The qualified athletes, 23 seniors and 24 juniors representing 20 states, are listed below.   The U.S. champions for men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and acrobatic gymnastics are determined at the Visa Championships, gymnastics’ national championships.  Artistic gymnastics will be held at HP Pavilion at San Jose, and rhythmic and acrobatic gymnastics are set for the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. The USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show, held in conjunction with the Visa Championships, will also be at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.   At HP Pavilion, the artistic gymnastics competition schedule for the Visa Championships is: Wednesday, Aug. 15 – 1 p.m., junior men’s all-around and event finals, and 7 p.m., senior men’s first day of competition; Thursday, Aug. 16 – 1 p.m., junior women’s first day of competition, and 7 p.m., senior women’s first day of competition; Friday, Aug. 17 – 7 p.m., senior men’s final day of competition; and Saturday, Aug. 18 – 1 p.m., junior women’s final day of competition, and 6 p.m., senior women’s final day of competition. NBC Sports is broadcasting action from the women’s competition on a same weekend, tape-delayed basis during prime time. Coverage from the men’s competition airs later.   Visa Championships tickets for men's and women's artistic and rhythmic/acrobatic gymnastics are on sale now at the HP Pavilion Ticket Office; all Ticketmaster locations, charge by phone at (408) 998-TIXS; or online at www.ticketmaster.com.   In 2006, Liukin and Alexander Artemev of Morrison, Colo./Team Chevron, joined an impressive list of gymnasts who have earned the coveted title of U.S. all-around champion.  Some of the sport’s biggest names are former all-around champions, including Carly Patterson, Courtney Kupets, Shannon Miller, Dominique Dawes, Kim Zmeskal and Mary Lou Retton for the women and Paul Hamm, Blaine Wilson, John Roethlisberger, Mitch Gaylord, Peter Vidmar and Bart Conner for the men.   The Visa Championships traces its history back to 1897 for the men and 1931 for the women.   About HP Pavilion at San Jose HP Pavilion at San Jose is the premier sports and entertainment venue in Northern California.  Home to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League, San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League, SAP Open men’s professional tennis tournament and the annual Pac-10 Women’s Basketball Tournament, HP Pavilion also hosts a multitude of events annually including concerts, family shows and civic events.    HP Pavilion at San Jose is an exemplification of architectural excellence and technological innovation.  Outside, a shining stainless-steel facade supports a magnificent, glass pyramid entry, soaring 10 stories above the ground.  Inside, first-class amenities and leading-edge seismic engineering contribute to the building’s reputation as one of the finest facilities in the United States.   HP Pavilion at San Jose is capable of accommodating a full-range of entertainment.  State-of-the-art acoustics, plush seating and a video replay scoreboard add to the comfort and luxury for the venue’s patrons.  In addition, the downtown location is easily accessible via several major freeways, light-rail and a regional train station, located across the street.   About San Jose McEnery Convention Center Considered the hub for meetings and conventions in San Jose, the San Jose McEnery Convention Center opened its doors in April 1989.  The facility has 432,000 square feet of function space, including a 22,000 square-foot ballroom and 30 meeting rooms.   About Visa USA Visa USA is a leading payments brand and the nation's largest payments system, enabling banks to provide their consumer and business customers with a wide variety of payment alternatives tailored to meet their evolving needs. Visa USA is committed to increasing the choice, convenience, acceptance and security of Visa payments for all stakeholders – financial institutions, cardholders and merchants.   In the United States, more than 521 million Visa-branded cards have been issued by our 13,320 financial institution customers.   Visa products generated nearly $1.8 trillion in total volume in the United States through March 2007 and enjoy unsurpassed acceptance around the globe.  For more information, visit www.visa.com.   About the San Jose Sports Authority The San Jose Sports Authority is a non-profit organization that serves as the sports marketing agency for the City of San Jose. Since their inception in 1991, they have worked with community partners to bring more than 150 premier events and programs to the San Jose area.  For more information, visit www.sjsa.org.   About USA Gymnastics Based in Indianapoli s, USA Gymnastics, the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States, encourages participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport.  For more information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org.   #   Women who qualified for the 2007 Visa Championships   By state, information shows name, hometown/club; division is indicated in parentheses.   California Kaitlyn Clark, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Diamond Elite (junior) Mattie Larson, Los Angeles, Calif./All Olympia (junior) Katelyn Mohr, Lincoln, Calif./Byers (senior) Hallie Mossett, Los Angeles, Calif./All Olympia (junior) Samantha Shapiro, Los Angeles, Calif./All Olympia (junior) Ashley Stott, Temecula, Calif./SCEGA (junior)   Colorado Alecia Musser, Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado Aerials (junior)   Florida Jana Bieger, Coconut Creek, Fla./Bieger International Gymnastics (senior) Morgan Smith, Clearmont, Fla./Brandy Johnson's (junior) Shayla Worley, Orlando, Fla./Orlando Metro (senior)   Georgia Jenna Rachels, McDonough, Ga./World Extreme (junior)   Illinois Mackenzie Caquatto, Downers Grove, Ill./Aerials (junior)   Indiana Samantha Peszek, Indianapolis, Ind./DeVeau's (senior) Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind./Sharp's Gymnastics Academy (senior)   Iowa Shawn Johnson, West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow's (senior)   Kansas Sarah DeMeo, Overland Park, Kan./GAGE (senior)   Louisiana Rheagan Courville, Baton Rouge, La./Elite (junior)   Maryland Corrie Lothrop, Gaithersburg, Md./Hill's Gymnastics (junior)   Massachusetts Alicia Sacramone, Winchester, Mass./Brestyan's American Gymnastics (senior)   Michigan Kamerin Moore, West Bloomfield, Mich./Gedderts (junior) Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich./Gedderts (junior)   Missouri Rebecca Clark, Blue Springs, Mo./GAGE (junior) Ivana Hong, Blue Springs , Mo./GAGE (senior)   New Jersey Darlene Hill, Mt. Laurel, N.J./Will-Moor (senior)   North Carolina Sarah Persinger, Charlotte, N.C./Southeastern (junior)   Ohio Bianca Flohr, Creston, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy (senior) Amanda Jetter, Milford, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy (junior) Jacquelyn Johnson, West Chester, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy (senior) Hilary Mauro, Hamilton, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy (senior) Ashley Priess, Hamilton, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy (senior) Cassie Whitcomb, Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy (junior)   Pennsylvania Madeline Hanley, Danielsville, Pa./Parkettes (junior) Geralen Stack-Eaton, Horsham, Pa./Parkettes (senior) Gabrielle Swart, Coopersburg, Pa./Parkettes (junior) Amber Trani, Richlandtown, Pa./Parkettes (senior)   Texas Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas/WOGA (junior) Chelsea Davis, Lakeway, Texas/Texas Dreams (junior) Alaina Johnson, Tyler, Texas/Texas East (senior) Natasha Kelley, Katy, Texas/Stars Gymnastics (senior) Nastia Liukin, Parker, Texas/WOGA (senior) Catherine Nguyen, Plano, Texas/WOGA (senior) Christa Tanella, Allen, Texas/WOGA (senior) McKenzie Wofford, Austin, Texas/Stars Gymnastics (junior)   Virginia Sherise Clark, Virginia Beach, Va./Excalibur (junior) Olivia Courtney, Burke, Va./Orlando Metro (junior) Randy Stageberg, Chesapeake, Va./Excalibur (senior)   Wisconsin Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis./M&M Gymnastics (senior)   USA Gymnastics Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in the United States. 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